After Ethan knocked on the front door, it was less than a second before he and Elara were dragged inside. Warm hands pulled them forward, overlapping voices filled the hallway, and within seconds, they found themselves surrounded by smiling faces.
It wasn't just a welcome.
It was a celebration.
And as promised, a massive meal had been prepared.
Plates covered nearly every inch of the large table in the dining room, filled with roasted meats, vegetables, fresh bread, homemade pies, and enough side dishes to feed twice as many people.
The rich aroma alone was enough to make Ethan's stomach growl.
After surviving what had felt like months of eating prison gruel and beast meat, it smelled like heaven. Meanwhile, Mark slowly stepped through the doorway behind them, still wearing a puzzled expression.
His eyes drifted back outside.
He still didn't understand what had happened, but he didn't dwell on it, sighing before closing the front door behind him.
